It’s over. The one-week of the year when we have to look back at the top news of the year in search of deep meaning. We newspeople have a tremendous need to try to define ourselves by the top stories of the day or, in this case, the year. The reason the subtitle of News Cut is “A Fresh Look at Today’s Stories” is this: We’re not defined by the top news, we’re defined by the accumulation of stories — the things that happened to us, most of which don’t make the news.

Don’t get me wrong; I think if 2009 had any class at all, it would have left a week ago. But looking back at the News Cut postings of the last year, I’m still blown away by the diversity of it all, whether it’s the big-deal story, or the small factoid that nobody is paying attention to. Put them side by side and it’s breathtaking in its ability to depress us and uplift us at the same time.

All of us are a little news story. Sometimes we’re a big news story. But it’s all of our experiences put together that define who we are.

In 2010, I’m hoping you’ll let me in on one — just one — experience that you’re having, or that you know someone else is having that others might be interested in. I’ll travel to any part of the state, at any time, and I’ll buy the coffee. Otherwise, I’ll just be sitting here getting depressed by the big story of the day.

About the blogger

Bob Collins has been with Minnesota Public Radio since 1992, emigrating to Minnesota from Massachusetts. He was senior editor of news in the ’90s, ran MPR’s political unit, created the MPR News regional website, invented the popular Select A Candidate, started several blogs, and every day laments that his Minnesota Fantasy Legislature project never caught on.

NewsCut is a blog featuring observations about the news. It provides a forum for an online discussion and debate about events that might not typically make the front page. NewsCut posts are not news stories.